Summer’s over; Still time to hike Half Dome

The final day of summer brought heavy rain to Central California and snow above 6,000 feet at Yosemite. The crowds had shrunk as eyes turned to school and raking leaves. Half Dome still beckons, but be prepared for a colder experience. This week temps will be in the low 70’s in the valley and that means mid-60’s at 8,000 feet. It wall be clear as the front moved rapidly east. Look for clear skies all week.

I’ve done the Half Dome hike in October and wore fleece head-to-toe. Permits will be easy to come by in the 2-day mini lottery. recreation.gov shows a bounty of them for this week. As usual, check the weather conditions with the rangers or Mountain Store. Sierra weather can change rapidly, so always carry at least a light jacket to keep the chill wind off. A small poncho takes up little room and will be very handy if an afternoon downpour hits.

About Mr Half Dome - Rick Deutsch

Mr Half Dome. Has written the only half dome hiking guide, One Best Hike: Yosemite's Half Dome. Has hiked it 31 times to day. Lives in San Jose, CA Available for presentations. Carpe Diem Experience, LLC

4 Responses to Summer’s over; Still time to hike Half Dome

Hi all, my wife and I will be hiking Half Dome on Tuesday, Oct 1. This will be our second summit. Is anyone doing this hike on that day? For anyone currently in the park, how cold does it feel lately? Also, any lingering concerns with smoke from the rim fire?

Good suggestion, all it takes is a little weather and most of the remaining crowds run away (I’d rather hike it in cool weather anyways). That said, you do not want to be on the granite after rain and especially not at the top of a mountain with lightening…